Auto inhaler

ABSTRACT

An improved device and process for the oral inhalation of medicaments in finely divided form is disclosed. The device has a hollow elongate housing having one end adapted for insertion into the oral or nasal cavity of a user, this end having at least one air passageway therein. There is at least one other air passageway near the other end of the housing. A propeller attached to a medicament container is rotatably mounted in the housing. Piercing members are provided for perforating the medicament container. There is also a self-contained power source for rotating the propeller and the medicament container to dispense the medicament in a positive pressure airstream. Optionally, the device contains an atomizer rotatably mounted in the housing intermediate the medicament container and the medicament dispensing end of the device.

United States Patent [191 amani 1 1 AUTO INHALER [22] Filed: Oct. 24,1973 [21] Appl. No.: 409,243

Related 1.1.8. Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 117,015,Feb. 19, 1971,

abandoned.

[52] 11.8. CI 128/266, 128/208, 222/193 [51] Int. Cl. A61m 15/08, A61m13/00 [58] Field of Search 128/266, 265, 173 R, 185, 128/188, 195, 196,198201, 205, 206, 208, 142.3; 222/193; 46/10, 68

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,272,283 7/1918 Madden222/193 1,526,096 2/1925 Sims 128/266 1,864,188 6/1932 Deutsch 128/173 R2,147,435 2/1939 Gehrcke 128/266 2,163,185 6/1939 Belstrup 46/682,483,148 9/1949 Nicolle 222/193 2,693,805 11/1954 Taplin et a1 128/2663,378,005 4/1968 Smith, Jr 128/188 3,535,707 10/1970 Greenlee l28/143.33,696,973 10/1972 Cottell 222/193 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS2,023,891 ll/l970 Germany 128/266 Primary Examiner-Richard A. GaudetAssistant Examiner-.1. C. McGowan Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Thomas E.Ciotti; Edward L. Mandell; Paul L. Sabatine ABSTRACT An improved deviceand process for the oral inhalation of medicaments in finely dividedform is disclosed. The device has a hollow elongate housing having oneend adapted for insertion into the oral or nasal cavity of a user, thisend having at least one air passageway therein. There is at least oneother air passageway near the other end of the housing. A propellerattached to a medicament container is rotatably mounted in the housing.Piercing members are provided for perforating the medicament container.There is also a self-contained power source for rotating the propellerand the medicament container to dispense the medicament in a positivepressure airstream. Optionally, the device contains an atomizerrotatably mounted in the housing intermediate the medicament containerand the medicament dispensing end of the device.

4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTED 35831 @606 INVENTOR NALINKANT C.DAMANI AUTO INHALER This is a continuation; of application Ser. No.117,015, filed Feb. 19, 1971, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to the administrationof drugs to a patient via inhalation through the oral and/or nasalpassages, and more especially to a device which propels a uniform dosageof finely divided medicament into the lungs through the aforementionedpassages.

In the past, administration of medicaments for the alleviation ofailments of the lungs has been carried out using plastic squeeze bottlesor aerosol cans to deliver drugs through the oral and/or nasal cavities.Devices of this type have not been entirely satisfactory because they donot allow the user to properly control the medicament concentration ordosage. Furthermore, significant problems arise as a result of thevariation in particle size of the medicament spray delivered from thesedevices. Thus, it is not always possible with these devices to dispensea medicament in the form of very fine and uniform particle size or mistwhich can be readily inhaled by the user. Sonic generators have provento be the only truly effective devices for accomplishing completecontrol of both medicament dosage and particle size; however, these areextremely large and can be used only in a hospital, doctors office,clinic, etc. There have also been attempts to provide smaller,pocket-sized inhalation devices which may be used in any location tosupply the necessary medication. Many of these personal sized devicesare based upon aerosol principles (see for example, U.S. Pat. Nos.3,183,907, 3,456,645, and 3,456,646 and of necessity suffer from theaforementioned disadvantages associated with aerosolized atomizers. Mostrecent endeavors in the area of pocket size atomizers are exemplified byU.S. Pat. Nos. 3,507,277 and 3,518,992 wherein the medicament is placedin the inhaler in capsulized form, made of gelatin or other material,and thereafter the capsule is perforated in situ to render themedicament available immediately prior to its contemplated use. The userthen inhales through the device which causes an internally containedpropeller, well as the punctured capsule, to rotate thereby dispensingthe medicament from the device and into the oral or nasal passages oftheuser. While these latter type of devices may solve the heretoforementioned medicament dosage and particle size problems, they too arerendered not wholly effective because typically those people havingailments necessitating the subject medication, as for example asthmaticpatients, cannot efficiently draw air through their oral or nasalpassages, and, as a result, they often cannot administer to themselvesthe entire medicament dosage. In fact, those persons most in need of thedrug are those who are least able to draw air, and hence medicament.through the device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is a primary object of thisinvention to provide an inhalation device which is capable of dispensinga precise quantity of medicament in extremely uniform particle size toany patient regardless of his ability to inhale.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved inhalationdevice which can deliver in uniform particle size a medicament in eitherliquid, microencapsulated, or dry power form without the use of Freon orsimilar aerosolizing material.

In attaining the objects of this invention, one feature resides in adevice for the oral inhalation of medicaments in finely divided formwhich comprises a hollow elongate housing having one end adapted forinsertion into the oral or nasal cavity of a user. The end soadapted isprovided with at least one air passageway therein, and there is providedat least one other air passageway near the other end of the housing.Inside the housing there is rotatably mounted a propeller means, andattached thereto is a mounting means for receiving a container ofmedicament. The device also contains one or more piercing members forperforating the container while it is contained in the aforementionedmounting means, such piercing members typically being spring-biased orloaded. The device is particu- Iarly characterized by a self-containedpower source for operating the propeller means via external manualmanipulation by the user. One such power source comprises an electricmotor, battery and external switch combination, while an alternativeembodiment includes a threaded plunger arrangement. In a furtherembodiment the device contains an atomizing means rotatably mountedinside the housing intermediate the medicament container mounting meansand the housing end adapted for insertion into the oral or nasal cavityof a user. This atomizer is employed when the medicament is present inother than dry particulate form. In a typical embodiment, thespring-loaded piercing members include exteriorly located push buttonmeans attached thereto allowing the user to press the piercing membersinto the medicament container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of anoral inhalation device according to this invention wherein the powersource is an electric motor;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the presentinvention wherein a plunger is employed as the power source; and

FIG. 3 is a view along the line 3-3 in FIG. 2 illustrating an atomizerdisc which may optionally be included in the devices of this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In one embodiment in accordancewith this invention, as illustrated in FIG. 1, an oral inhalation device10 is comprised of a rigid, hollow cylindrical housing 12 having itsupper end adapted for insertion into the oral or nasal cavity of a user.Located in the upper end wall are a plurality of passageways 14communicating with the inside of the housing and allowing free passageof air and medicament therethrough. Near the lower endof the housing 12are located another series of similar passageways 16 providing for theingress of air into the inhalation device. Propeller 18 is rotatablymounted on shaft 19 inside of housing 12. Immediately above propeller l8and likewise connected to shaft 19 is a cup-like mounting means 20 forreceiving a con-. tainer of medicament such as capsule 22. This entireassembly comprised of mounting means 20, propeller l8 and shaft 19 isdriven by a small battery powered electric motor 24 secured to housing12 immediately beneath the indicated assembly. A battery 26, typicallysize N or smaller, is also contained within housing 12 and is connectedto motor 24 through conductors 28 and 29. Selective operation of motor24 is achieved through operation of push button 30 located on the exterior of housing 12 adjacent to battery 26.

In the sidewall portions of housing 12 immediately adjacent medicamentcontainer mounting means are located two spring-loaded piercing members31 and 32 by means of which the user may pierce the medicament container22, while in its supporting member 20. immediately prior to desired useof the device. The piercing members are conveniently actuated by thepush button members 33 and 34 connected thereto on the external side ofhousing 12; however, other actuating means may also be employed for thispurpose. For purposes of illustration, one assembly is shown in thenon-piercing posit-ion whereas the other assembly is shown with the tipof piercing member 31 having pierced capsule 22. Preferably, theperforating ends of piercing members 31 and 32 are sharpened with aplane face at an acute angle, and furthermore, the acute angled planeface desirably faces away from propeller 18. Actuation of the piercingmembers advantageously provides one or more holes, suitably of about 0.6to 0.65 mm. in diameter, in the capsule wall. It will of course beappreciated that any other suitable medicament container piercingassembly may be employed in the device of this invention, for example,one such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,518,992.

Medicament containing capsule 22 can be a standard capsule of gelatin orother material having'the medicament contained therein in either drypowder, microencapsulated, or liquid form. After piercing of the capsulewalls has taken place, medicament will be forced out of the capsule intothe positive pressure air stream created by propeller 18 as a result ofthe forces created by the rotational movement of the capsule itself.

When the medicament in capsule 22 is in liquid form, and in certainother instances, it is desired to further employ an atomizing disc 36between the medicament container mounting means 20 and the medicamentdispensing end of the device. The atomizing disc 36 is secured to shaft17 and the resultant assembly is likewise secured to inverted cup-likemember 21 which may be removably engaged over cup-like mounting member20 which receives and holes the medicament capsule 22. Thus, invertedcup-like member 21 rotates together with mounting means 20, and as aresult, atomizing disc 36 is likewise caused to rotate. For support andstabilization, shaft 17 loosely engages with bearing member 15 containedin housing 12. Inverted cup-like member 21 advantageously is of acage-like configuration having only a few relatively narrow supportmembers (preferably having no two support members lying on any onediameter across member 21) thereby providing openings 23 aroundsubstantially the entire circumference of member 21 to facilitate easyentrance by piercing members 31 and 32.

A planar view of atomizer disc 36 is illustrated in FIG. 3. The disccontains a plurality of apertures 37 uniformly distributed thereover,the same being for the purpose of assuring substantially uniformmedicament particle size when capsule 22 contains medicament in the formof a liquid or any other form which is likely to agglomerate.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is illustrated an alternative embodimentof the oral inhalation device of the invention. The portion of thedevice extending from propeller 18 to the medicament dispensing end ofthe device is essentially identical to the corresponding portion of thedevice illustrated in FIG. 1. In FIG. 2, a spring-loaded plungerassembly is employed as the power source in lieu of the battery operatedelectric motor illustrated in FIG. 1. The plunger assembly consists ofplunger 40 slidably mounted in sleeve 42 at the lower end wall ofhousing 12. Plunger 40 is biased downwardly by spring 43 and retained inthe device by cooperation of flange 44 with sleeve 42. Near the upperend of plunger 40 are located a plurality of ball bearings 45 which arefreely rotatable and cooperate with threads 46 contained on the lowerportion of shaft 19. Thus, when plunger 40 is depressed into housing 12,ball bearings 45 travel upwardly in threads 46 causing rotation of shaft19 and hence propeller 18, medicament container support 20 andoptionally atomizing disc 36. It will be appreciated that suitablegearing linkages may be incorporated into the plunger assembly toselectively vary the amount of rotation generated by each depression ofplunger 40.

In operation, the two sections of housing 12 are separated and acontainer of medicament, such as a capsule, is placed into support 20.At this time, the atomizer disc assembly may be inserted or removed asdesired. The housing is again closed, and the device may now be carriedby the user for an indefinite period of time without deterioration orloss of medicament. When the administration of medicament is required,the user depresses push-buttons 33 and 34 to puncture the capsule insitu, and thereafter places the dispensing end of the device into hisoral or nasal cavity, whereupon medicament may then be dispensed byeither activation of electric motor 24 via push button 30 or depressionof plunger 40.

The drug present in capsule 22 may be either a single or multipledosage. For a single dosage, the device is constructed so that all ofthe medicament is delivered with a single push of the plunger 40 ordepression of switch 30. In the case of a multiple dosage containingcapsule, the device may be designed to administer only a single dose oneach push of plunger 40 or timed depression of button 30. Repetition ofthis action similarly delivers the second and subsequent doses of themedicament. The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2 is especially suitedfor such a modification.

Thus, the invention provides an oral inhalation device suitable for theadministration of exact dosages of medicaments in finely divided formfor the alleviation of ailments of the bronchial tract and of the lungs.The device may also be used for the administration of medicaments havingsystemic action, for example, it may be used for the administration ofan antidote to poisonous substances. The device provides a simple methodof carrying medicaments which require rapid or emergency usage, andmoreover the device assures that a uniform dosage of such a medicamentis administered regardless of the users ability to properly inhale.

While the invention has been described and illustrated with reference tocertain preferred embodiments thereof, those skilled in the art willappreciate that various modifications, changes, omissions andsubstitutions can be made without departing from the spirit of theinvention. It is intended, therefore, that the invention be limited onlyby the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A device for the dispensing of medicament in finely divided form fororal or nasal inhalation which comprises a rigid hollow elongatecylindrical housing having one end adapted for insertion into the oralor nasal cavity of a user, said one end having at least one air outletpassageway therein and there being at least one air inlet passagewaynear the other end of said housing; shaft means rotatably mountedaxially within said housing; airstream generator means in the form of apropeller attached to said shaft; mounting means for receiving acontainer of medicament attached to said shaft downstream of saidpropeller; means for perforating holes in said container while saidcontainer is in said mounting means; power rotating means containedwithin said housing and attached to said shaft means for rotating saidshaft means, for rotating said propeller means to direct an airstreamaround said container to said air outlet passageway, and for rotatingsaid mounting means and container to rotationally force medicament outof said container through said holes into said airstream; and atomizingmeans mounted on said shaft for rotation at a fixed longitudinalposition in said housing intermediate the medicament container mountingmeans and the housing end adapted for insertion into the oral or nasalcavity of a user.

2. A process of dispensing medicament in finely divided form for oral ornasal inhalation which comprises: providing a rigid hollow elongatecylindrical housing having one end adapted for insertion into the oralor nasal cavity of a user; forming at least one air outlet passageway insaid end of said housing; forming at least one air inlet passageway nearthe other end of said housing; rotatably mounting a shaft axially withinsaid housing; attaching a propeller to said shaft; mounting a medicamentcontainer in said housing attached to said shaft; mounting an atomizingmeans on said shaft in said housing intermediate the medicamentcontainer and the housing end adapted for insertion into the oral ornasal cavity of a user; perforating said container while the same ismounted in said housing; and power rotating said shaft to drive saidpropeller such that a positive pressure airstream is created from saidair inlet passageway to said air outlet passageway, said poweredrotation of said shaft further rotating said container to rotationallyforce medicament out of said container through said holes into saidairstream whereby a dosage of medicament is dispensed for inhalation.

3. The process of claim 2 wherein said power rotating step comprisesdriving said shaft with a self-contained, batterypowered electric motor.

4-. The process of claim 2 wherein said power rotating step comprisesdriving said shaft by movement of a plunger assembly.

1. A device for the dispensing of medicament in finely divided form fororal or nasal inhalation which comprises a rigid hollow elongatecylindrical housing having one end adapted for insertion into the oralor nasal cavity of a user, said one end having at least one air outletpassageway therein and there being at least one air inlet passagewaynear the other end of said housing; shaft means rotatably mountedaxially within said housing; airstream generator means in the form of apropeller attached to said shaft; mounting means for receivinG acontainer of medicament attached to said shaft downstream of saidpropeller; means for perforating holes in said container while saidcontainer is in said mounting means; power rotating means containedwithin said housing and attached to said shaft means for rotating saidshaft means, for rotating said propeller means to direct an airstreamaround said container to said air outlet passageway, and for rotatingsaid mounting means and container to rotationally force medicament outof said container through said holes into said airstream; and atomizingmeans mounted on said shaft for rotation at a fixed longitudinalposition in said housing intermediate the medicament container mountingmeans and the housing end adapted for insertion into the oral or nasalcavity of a user.
 2. A process of dispensing medicament in finelydivided form for oral or nasal inhalation which comprises: providing arigid hollow elongate cylindrical housing having one end adapted forinsertion into the oral or nasal cavity of a user; forming at least oneair outlet passageway in said end of said housing; forming at least oneair inlet passageway near the other end of said housing; rotatablymounting a shaft axially within said housing; attaching a propeller tosaid shaft; mounting a medicament container in said housing attached tosaid shaft; mounting an atomizing means on said shaft in said housingintermediate the medicament container and the housing end adapted forinsertion into the oral or nasal cavity of a user; perforating saidcontainer while the same is mounted in said housing; and power rotatingsaid shaft to drive said propeller such that a positive pressureairstream is created from said air inlet passageway to said air outletpassageway, said powered rotation of said shaft further rotating saidcontainer to rotationally force medicament out of said container throughsaid holes into said airstream whereby a dosage of medicament isdispensed for inhalation.
 3. The process of claim 2 wherein said powerrotating step comprises driving said shaft with a self-contained,batterypowered electric motor.
 4. The process of claim 2 wherein saidpower rotating step comprises driving said shaft by movement of aplunger assembly.